Sleepless Torment Beside You
Are you asleep? I lie perfectly still in bed like that. Time drags on and on until night falls. In the dead of midnight, where even the moonlight has dozed off into utter blackness, a craving utterly distinct from drowsiness coils around my body. But I still can't satisfy it. It's not some issue like "even a light touch feels too good so I can't." I can't hold out any longer and finally open my mouth.
"Dana, you asleep…?"
Yeah. That's the problem. My roommate hasn't fallen asleep.
Dana's lying motionless on her own bed, eyes shut tight. But I know she's awake. Every so often, her breathing turns subtly ragged. How many times have I reached out, thinking she's out cold, only to yank my hand back in shock? I always crash before her, so I never realized she stays up this late. No matter how depraved I get, I'm not that much of a pervert—jerking off right in front of a friend. Especially not when I'm pretty strict with myself about that stuff.
But why the hell isn't she sleeping?
"Hnn…."
I'm starting to squirm, antsy as hell, letting out a shallow huff and twisting in the sheets when I feel Dana's gaze turn my way. I ask her again.
"Dana. You asleep?"
"You?"
"Just…."
"Me too."
"……Actually, I've got something to do."
"Me too."
What the—parrot much? Just echoing whatever I say. If you've got shit to do, hurry up and get it over with so we can both sleep. But then Dana suddenly lays into me like she's scolding a kid.
"Exam tomorrow. We should sleep."
"……Yeah. You too, Dana."
I'll just do this and crash. So you go first. Quick….
…My wish—well, not really a wish—doesn't come true. The pitch-black sky stays that way until dawn cracks it open and morning hits. I spend the whole time groaning like I'm yanking out my own hair by the roots.
"Uwaaaaaah…."
Exhausted. So fucking exhausted. Didn't get a single wink. I pulled an all-nighter! Wanna sleep. Wanna rub one out. Can't. Can't anymore….
Fatigue and frustration tangle up, tormenting me mercilessly. I drag myself to get ready for school, dark circles smudged like charcoal under my eyes. The funny part? Dana looks just as wrecked. Her jet-black hair's a total mess, sticking out every which way, and she's staring blankly at the floor, exhaustion etched all over her face. It's kinda hilarious.
Our eyes meet out of nowhere, and Dana snaps at me.
"Why. Didn't you. Sleep. Wanna die?"
Huh? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Who's yelling at who here? You're the oblivious one who wouldn't crash, so I couldn't do jack shit. If I end up reeking of horniness and do something weird with the other girls, who do you plan to blame? Not that I'd ever, but still. Anyway.
I wanna fire back, but she's so damn brazen I just stammer like an idiot. In the end, we just glare at each other, resentment boiling over.
Fine, whatever for me—but you? Why? Seriously. What a weirdo….
…And of course, today just has to be exam day. I slog through it in a brain-dead haze, every ounce of focus shot to hell. I press hard on my eyelids, trying to snap awake somehow. Nothing beats yuri fantasies for killing sleepiness. But sneaking peeks at girls' swaying skirts or delicate napes just makes everything worse.
"Ugyaaack, ugyaagyaaack…."
I pinch my thigh hard like a normal person. Sleepiness fades, and the arousal cools off a bit.
…Should've done that from the start. If I flunk and have to repeat a year, I couldn't even face Alicia, who'd crammed study sessions into her packed schedule just for me.
Alicia. I miss her. Want her touching my belly. No. What the hell am I thinking?
Anyway. With near-superhuman willpower, I grit through the lust and drowsiness, somehow scraping my way through the test paper. No clue if I nailed it. But I finished. That's my limit. Good enough….
Alicia's busy, vanishing right after the exam—thank god. If she'd asked how it went, I'd have been in a bind. Then Serina comes over.
"Hey, about yesterday…."
"Yeah."
"…Lily. You okay? Your face looks all bruised…."
"It's. Yeah. Nothing."
"Is it because I got mad yesterday?"
"I said it's nothing…?"
This is seriously awkward. I brush her off half-assed. It's not like I'm ignoring her or holding a grudge over yesterday—no way. I just wanna bolt back to the dorm ASAP, yeah, do what I couldn't last night, calm this boiling-hot body of mine.
Serina reaches for my hand all natural-like. These days, I let her, since it doesn't feel all that special anymore. But today… it's different, something's off, our skin touches and it burns like fire, I zone out staring at her perfectly manicured nails, and I flinch away in shock.
"Lily…?"
"W-weird, no. Busy today. Gotta head out…."
"…You are mad about yesterday."
"No!"
I yell without thinking, and Serina stares at me with huge eyes. Her brown gaze shakes like there's an earthquake. In that split second, I see a whirlwind of thoughts flash through her pupils—resignation, regret, something like that churning inside her.
"Sorry…."
"For what?"
"Huh?"
"You didn't even do anything wrong?"
"Uh, ah, well…."
I snap at her without meaning to. But the way it comes out… it's weird. Sounds like something a sulky girlfriend would say, begging for comfort.
Serina's even more lost, blinking blankly, face crumpling into a pout, until all she can do is apologize over and over.
"I won't do it again. No more jealousy. Lily, forgive me just once…."
What the hell is she on about? Jealousy? Forgive? I can't even parse it, mouth flapping uselessly. But if I leave her like this, she'll probably burst into tears—and that's a disaster. So in the end, I end up hugging and cooing at her like a fussy baby for ages.
And through it all, I hate myself for thinking how huge and soft her tits feel, so damn good….
…Hurry. Hurry….
I finally calm Serina down and bolt out of the classroom like a bat outta hell. Anxiety clings to my heels, speeding me toward the dorm. By the time I get there, I'm practically sprinting. It's hot as hell, and my stamina sucks, so I'm panting raggedly as I fling open the door.
My head's a blank fog. Who cares. Seriously at my limit. Gonna do it. Now….
But for all my desperation, I end up freezing anyway.
Because Dana's asleep.
"………."
No big deal. Or maybe it was obvious. It wasn't just me who pulled an all-nighter—when I was tussling with Serina, I noticed Dana slip out of class first. Figured she'd crash early from exhaustion. Yeah.
The problem? She's sleeping on my bed.
I stare blankly down at Dana, face-planted into the pillow, snoring away peacefully. Hasn't even changed out of her uniform, exposing her forearm, nape, thighs—all that bare skin in such a sloppy, slutty pose. If I weren't here, and it was some other girl? She'd get pounced on and moaning in her sleep, no room to complain.
Damn, she's so delicate-looking. A bit taller, sure, but her lines are razor-thin overall. Not scrawny—just slender curves snaking over her hips, ass, thighs, all feminine grace. I start devouring my friend's body with my eyes, wondering if anyone seeing this would buy that she's the violent type who swings fists at the drop of a hat. Not because of Dana, definitely not cuz her body's hot or anything, but I just… can't hold back anymore, let out a weird "Hnnngh," and barely manage to turn away.
I head to Dana's bed. Muttering excuses to myself. Your fault. No bed cuz of you. Waking you would be weird. Shit like that.
I lie down, and my heart starts pounding faster. Blood rushes to my face, burning hot. No idea why. I bury my nose in her pillow like she did. Dana's shampoo scent hits me. "H-hek," I gasp, inhaling deep as my brain short-circuits like a fried machine.
I yank the blanket over my head. About to do something pervy—better not risk anyone peeking from outside.
Big mistake. The blanket's soaked in her scent, wrapping around me like strangling vines. My body unfurls sensation by sensation, like a flower bud blooming.
Body feels weird. Hot. Waiting. For what…? Come on in. It's like my body whispers it.
Eh? Huh? And just like that, I let go of reason.